Brother O Mine
by DaLantis
Summary: Raph and Leo get into a horrible fight, but when a trap set by the Foot leads to disaster, can the two sort out their problems or will they grow apart at a time when they really need one another?
1. Hanging by a Thread

**NOTE*** _This is my first ever TMNT Fan Fiction, so hopefully you like it! Here is the first chapter, please let me know what you think!_

 **Chapter One:**

 **Hanging by a Thread**

Whack!

Every eye froze, staring in concern, confusion, and apprehension. Leo stood there, a stern frustrated look on his face as he stared at his immediate younger brother who glared angrily back, a red mark now slowly appearing on his cheek where he had slapped him.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?!" Leo screamed at him.

Leonardo would be the first to admit that Raphael annoyed him greatly, but never before had he raised a hand against his reckless little brother until today. The fact Leo had broken his own personal rule of keeping his calm with his little brothers no matter what they did to irritate him or make him angry hadn't gone unnoticed by his other brothers, Don and Mikey who both stared in wonder and concern. Wonder at what Raphael had done now to upset Leo and concern because they all knew how well Raph handled yelling and aggressive actions. It was like pulling the tail of a lion. All you would get in return was a bite in the behind for your efforts.

"I WAS TRYING TO DO MY JOB!" Raphael yelled back, his cheek throbbing where his older brother had hit him, but he wasn't about to give him the pleasure of seeing him wince.

"BY WHAT?! KILLING MIKEY?!"

Raphael's brow creased in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

Mikey also looked just as confused. Only Don knew what Leo was talking about and while he wasn't happy with Raphael for his actions, he wouldn't have necessarily gone this far. Something he was planning to tell his brother when things had calmed down.

"WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT?!" yelled Leo, "You should know!"

"SO TELL ME BECAUSE I OBVIOUSLY DON'T KNOW!" Raph yelled back, his own anger once again rising past the confusion he felt and the guilt. Had he almost hurt his baby brother?

"You disobeyed a direct order and cut the wire on the bridge platform back at the warehouse", Donnie filled in, seeing Leo was beyond angry to the point he could hardly answer except to yell.

Raphael glanced at Don before looking back at Leo, still a bit confused but getting more and more angry by the minute.

"What about it?"

"I uh…" Mikey spoke up, "I may have been under the bridge at the time."

Raphael blinked before a horrified look came onto his face. Mikey felt bad about making his brother feel guilty. Sure it had scared Mikey when the bridge gave, but he had escaped alright. Sides, he knew Raph would have never done it had he known Mikey was beneath it. Raphael, while always the hot head, never, EVER would hurt his brothers. Don also grimaced, thinking the same thing. He had been planning to talk to Leo about it before he went off on Raph for this exact reason. Leo thought Raphael had known.

Leo who had been simmering in his anger noticed the horrified stricken look that came onto his little brothers face and immediately, some of his anger died leaving behind only frustration.

"I…I didn't…Oh God…Mikey, I didn't mean…" Raph stuttered.

Mikey gave him a small smile as he came up beside his big brother's side.

"Hey, I'm alright Raph. No harm no foul."

Raphael shook his head, still angry, but no longer with Leo as much as he was with himself. Just what had he almost done?!

Mikey was probably the closest to Raph in a lot of ways. He loved his big brother and often hero worshipped him. Often that was the reason he thought Raphael could do no wrong, but he also knew his brother did make mistakes and had his secrets as any other Turtle did. One of those secrets being a severe case of Asthma that had plagued his brother since they were infant turtles.

Splinter knew about it and often helped Raphael control it through meditation. Don knew it because of him being the one in charge of medical and Mikey knew it, only because he had witnessed it before by accident. When Raphael got upset or panicked about something he would have an attack and it was all too obvious that now was one of those times.

Mikey knew they should probably not leave Leo out of the loop, but he also knew now would not be the time to tell his oldest brother who was still looking rather peeved at Raphael who had turned his back on him, trying to breath.

"Raph, how about you and I go wash up. We both were in that sewage water far too long I think" he said as he dragged his brother out of the room before either he or Leo could stop him.

Don watched them go, thankful for Mikey's quick thinking before turning to Leo who continued to glower at the door they had just left through. While Don usually was the most even tempered of his brothers, he was a little mad at both Leo and Raph for their actions. Raph for his recklessness and Leo for his aggressiveness and quick judgement against their brother.

Leo didn't even have to glance at Don to know he was angry. Arms still crossed, he snapped out, "What?!"

Don's frown deepened.

"You know he didn't deserve that", Don answered calmly.

Leo growled, but sighed, closing his eyes and dropping his head into his hands in irritation and self-loathing. He was angry he had lost control so easily.

Don noticed that not all of his oldest brothers anger was directed at Raph and sighed, stepping forward, gently pulling him in for a side hug. Leo stiffened before finally relaxing into the embrace.

"I won't lie, part of this is your fault", Don replied and Leo stiffened again, "but…Raphael is a big boy. He knew what he was doing was against orders and he should have thought it out that one of us could have been below."

Leo snorted. "Raph thinking something out? That would be a first."

Don smiled, nodding. "True."

Leo sighed.

"I know I shouldn't have struck him. Heck, I know I shouldn't have yelled but sometimes he can be so irritating and so…so…"

"Pig headed?" Don suggested.

"YES!" Leo yelled, his hands out for emphasis.

"That's just Raph", Don stated carefully, "He never would have done that had he known Mikey was below the bridge."

"I know…I know", Leo whispered before turning to his brother, a small sad smile on his face, "Guess I need to apologize huh?"

"For striking him at least", Don nodded.

"Well", whispered Leo before standing up straighter, "here goes nothing…"

Leo had only taken one step towards the direction his brother had vanished towards when the alarm on their sewer scanner went off. Don took off sprinting towards it as he began checking the monitors, typing quickly onto his keyboard.

"What is it?" Leo asked, back in leader mode.

"Foot Ninja. Lots of them."

"Where?"

Don narrowed his eyes.

"Back where we just were…" he whispered in suspicion.

Leo also narrowed his eyes, thinking. Was this a trap? More than likely.

"What's going on?!" yelled Mikey as he burst out of the back room.

Raphael stepped in behind him, silent. Leo ignored the presence of his younger brother as he glanced at Mikey before turning back to Don.

"Think it's safe?"

Don looked up from his keyboard to his oldest brother.

"Do we have a choice?"

Leo sighed and shook his head.

"Not really."

"Then let's not waste time. Let's go"

Leo turned to his two other brothers, noticing Raph looking anywhere but at him.

"You heard him, let's move ninja turtles", he replied and the four took off to prepare for some unwelcomed guests.

~TMNT~

The four brothers stuck to the shadows as they headed through the sewers. According to Don's tunnel scanner, foot were approximately thirty feet ahead, unmoving.

"No doubt this a trap", Raph whispered, his voice low and rough.

Leo couldn't help the sudden spike of irritation that erupted in him when he heard his brother's voice.

"No freaking duh", he snapped back.

Surprisingly, Raphael didn't snap back, but instead went silent, his eyes roaming the area as though he hadn't heard Leo at all. This only served to make Leonardo angrier, but Don placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him.

Mikey glanced at Raphael with concern. He had calmed his brother down in the lair, assuring him he hadn't been injured. Barely had they escaped a full out panic attack, but Mikey didn't doubt if something set his brother off, they would be facing exactly that. For this reason, he had made sure to pack Raphael's inhaler in his pocket, just in case. Not that he told his older brother that. He didn't want Raph feeling babied. It would only serve to anger him more.

 _"Leo"_ Mikey thought desperately, _"Don't push him too much, please!"_

Donnie and Mikey exchanged concerned glances, but they kept silent as Leo got his own frustration back under control.

"Mikey, you're with me. Don you are with Raph. Stick to the shadows and don't come out until I make the first move. You hear me?"

The others nodded, all except Raphael. Leo narrowed his eyes.

"Raph, you hear me?" he asked, his anger rising again.

Raphael turned his eyes directly onto his older brother. Leo was a bit stunned to see them so guarded, no emotion shining through whereas usual they would have a large amount of excitement or irritation in them.

"I hear you", he replied evenly before turning to walk away with Don by his side.

Leo watched him go before sighing and turning back into the shadows on his own side. Mikey just shook his head, annoyed with both of his stubborn brothers.

"Leo", Mikey whispered.

"What?" Leo whispered back, not even turning to look at his baby brother.

Mikey frowned at his oldest brother's obvious bad mood, but continued on with what he wanted to say.

"Could you maybe…lay off of Raph a bit?"

Leo stopped, taking deep breaths before turning to face Mikey, a glare on his face.

"Why?!"

Leo silenced himself when it came out a little too loud for his own liking. "Why?" he tried again in a whisper.

"It's just…Raphael feels bad enough for what he did and…"

A sound stopped Mikey mid-sentence. The two turned and stared in disbelief as Raphael burst out of the shadows into the enemy midst. Don following close behind. Leo growled, his anger burning.

"He can never just listen!"

Mikey frowned. Raphael would never purposely endanger them, so he knew something else had to have happened. Sides, he knew Don would have stopped Raph before he had done something so impulsive, so why hadn't he?

Mikey was broken from his thoughts as ninja rushed towards him. He took out his chukka sticks and sighed. Guess he would have to figure things out later.

Leo rushed into the battle, his katana's drawn and battle ready as he rushed the foot surrounding his brothers, Don and Raph. Don was holding his own, but Raph was being overwhelmed.

"About time you showed up fearless", Raph taunted, but Leo stayed silent, his anger more than he could bear. He knew if he opened his mouth, he would no doubt say something he regretted. Sadly, he was right. Raphael couldn't stop himself from going on and Leo couldn't stop himself from answering.

"I know you said not ta attack unless we had ta, but I thought that…"

Leo snapped, his anger bubbling over in waves.

"That's just it Raph! You never think!" he shouted.

Raphael paused in his fighting, looking at his brother in surprise before an angry look overtook his own facial features.

"Now wait just a minute fearless. I may not have…"

"You always just rush in head first, never thinking about anyone but yourself! You are selfish and your recklessness will get not only you killed but us too!"

"Leo, I really think you need too…" started Don who was behind Raph, but Leo once again interrupted.

"No Don, he needs to hear this. When we get home, I am going to tell Master Splinter all about this and then I am going to ask him to take you off the team until you can reign in your anger."

"Wha…" Raph sputtered, shocked at his brothers words. He was kicking him off the team?

"Leo…" started Donnie, but Leo again, ignored his brother's caution.

"One of these days Raph you will just go too far and when that day comes, I won't save you. No one will, because you will have done it to yourself."

Raph stayed silent, clashing with the foots as he listened to his brothers words, his face impassive.

"Sometimes Raph, I hate you."

Don gasped and even Raphael looked stricken. Mikey also couldn't believe what Leo had just said. Leonardo however didn't seem to notice their looks or horror as he just continued rambling, but Raphael was past hearing. His brother hated him?

Raph choked back a cry as he closed his eyes.

"Leo look out!" yelled Mikey.

Raph snapped open his eyes just in time to see a rocket in the arms of two of the foot, aiming towards his older brother. While he was angry and hurt by Leo's words, he believed they were true and he deserved them. Rushing, he pushed his brother out of the way, missing the rocket himself as it flew past and straight into the bridge above. The same bridge he had cut half-way down just this morning. The rocket struck the unbroken side and they all watched in horror as it came tumbling down after them.

Diving out of the way, they barely had enough time to cover their heads before the ground around them crumbled at the impact and they fell into the darkness of the tunnels below.

 **AUTHORS NOTE***

 _For those who had read this in the beginning, I changed it up a bit._


	2. Colors of Day

**Chapter Two:**

 **Colors of Day**

Leo groaned as he opened his eyes, his mind reeling with memories of why he was lying flat on the hard ground of the sewers. Glimpses of memory, his brothers, Raph, the foot, and the rocket being launched came back to him. A trap… of course it had been a trap.

Groaning louder, he crawled to his knees, attempting to stand as his body protested. He should have known it was a trap. He was the leader. It was his job to protect his brothers and he had failed. Now he didn't even know whether they were alive or not.

"Raph…" he whispered, grimacing. What if Raph died thinking Leo truly hated him?! God, he was so stupid. Why had he said those things!

Pulling himself from such thoughts, he knew now was not the time to regret his actions. Now, he needed to find his brothers and he would believe…he had to believe…they were alive. He couldn't handle the thought that they weren't.

"Raph! Don! Mikey! Can anyone hear me?!" he called as he made his way through the dusty sewers, being careful not to trip over debris as his leg protested movement with every step. The same leg that healed only a few months ago after he had broken it! "What a pain", he grumbled as he staggered along.

A deep groan seemed to echo around Leo and he stopped, freezing in place as he search for the source of the sound.

"Whose there?" he called.

"Leo?" came the weak voice.

"Raph!" Leo shouted, recognizing the gruff voice of his brother as relief flooded through his system, "Are you okay? Where are you?!"

"I don't… argh! I don't know" came the pained response.

"Keep talking, I am coming" Leo called as he started towards where he thought his brother's voice was the loudest and clearest.

"Talk about w-what?"

"I don't know. Pick something", Leo huffed out, still straining to listen.

"D-Do you…" Raph paused before seeming to change his mind, "I like the c-color Red. Could you t-tell?"

Leo snorted, shaking his head.

"Yeah Raph, I could tell. What do you like about it?"

Raph was silent for a moment.

"Reminds me of… blood."

Leo paused in his walking. "That's why you like it?"

"N-No", came the scratchy voice, a little louder this time near Leo's right, "That's what I hate about it."

"Then what makes you like it?" Leo asked, now really curious where his brother was going with this.

"S-Sunset", he replied, "reminds me of…when I saw my…first sunset."

Leo frowned, trying to remember his first one, but nothing came to mind. Raphael seemed to read his mind as he laughed.

"I'm a sucker…for the sun", he replied.

Leo smiled. Of course, that was the reason it meant so much to Raphael. He dreamed…longed of being on the surface with the humans during the day. The sun meant a lot to Raph and that fact the sunset, his first one ever had been blood red, meant even more to him.

"Sunset suits you", Leo whispered as he thought back to the words he had told his brother before, about hating him. Now he truly regretted saying such a thing. "You know why I like blue?" he asked.

Silence met him for a few moments, before a scratchy voice once again hit his ears.

"Water?" it asked.

Leo smiled, but shook his head until he realized Raph probably couldn't see him.

"No", he replied, "kind of the same thing as yours I guess. I like it because of the sky."

Raphael, from where he laid, smiled.

"Sounds about right", he whispered, "Sun and the Sky. No wonder…we don't get along. You're so…large. Larger than life."

Leo smiled.

"And you, your hot headed with a flair for dramatics", laughed Leo, "but I wouldn't change anything about you."

Raphael frowned, staying silent. Leo noticed.

"Raph, about what I said…"

"You don't gotta explain", Raph whispered.

"I do need to explain", Leo stated, interrupting his brother, "You mean so much to me and I love you, very much. I let anger cloud my vision and because of it, you got hurt saving me, when I should have been on top of my game. I won't let that happen again."

"Don't say promises you can't keep bro", Raph laughed, but he felt better and so did Leo.

"So, what do you say…" Leo huffed as he pushed aside some fallen debris, popping out beside his brother, "we get out of here?"

Raph stared up at him, amused before shaking his head and clutching his brother's hand with his own.

"Thought you would never ask, fearless. Lead the way."

Leo smiled and the two brothers set out to find their way back home, together.

 **AUTHORS NOTE***

 _I really am very sorry about this fanfic. I meant this to be better and longer, but I almost immediately lacked motivation for it after the first chapter. I sincerely apologize._

 _I might one day come back and re-write it, but it won't be any time soon. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it at least a little. Thanks!_


End file.
